Just Ourselves
by mysticxf
Summary: Jack and Kate go for a walk together in the jungle and discovery that maybe they’ve finally found their home.


Lost and its characters belong to JJ Abrams, Bad Robot and the Others. Jack and Kate go for a walk together in the jungle and discovery that maybe they've finally found their home.

Lost – Just Ourselves  
By Mystic  
August 2nd 2006

He liked to think that maybe there was a place where they could be themselves. Stuck in the middle of the jungle trying to be brave for her; watching her be tough for him, he was sure this wasn't it. They walked, only a few steps between them, along a stream with their bags weighing heavy against their shoulders.

She led, because she knew where they were going. Jack trailed behind her, watching her step carefully, smiling when she pointed at a vine or an indent in the soft ground to give him a warning. Kate's cheeks blushed quickly with red each time, just before she smirked and turned back to stare at the path.

Jack knew back before all this, back in civilization, it wasn't the place either. He imagined if he'd met her back then, it'd have been while she was on the run. Maybe they'd run into one another in a bar. He'd think she was a beautiful escape from Sarah; she'd think he was an easy ride out of town. They'd make love to one another trying to get something neither could have gotten then.

Freedom.

She chuckled on a sigh and it caught his attention, his foot catching on a rock and he stumbled into her, his nose pressed into her forehead as she latched onto his midsection with her palms, steadying him. Jack bit his lip, standing straighter and watching her stare at him, a look of amusement on her face.

"You're not paying any attention to me, are you?" She asked, her voice tickled with laughter.

Jack shook his head, feeling her hands leave him cold in the gentle afternoon breeze and they both palmed their waists, heads tilted towards the jungle. "No," he said with a nod. "Sorry."

Kate pushed her bottom lip into her top before her head bobbed short just once and she started back on her way along the bank of the stream. "I was just saying it's getting rough on the beach, people might be wanting to move back to the caves."

"Rough?" Jack repeated.

"Winds, waves. The shelters are taking a beating."

"Oh," Jack said simply, falling into step behind her again. "I'm sure we could make camp again in the caves."

"Yeah," Kate said, her hand shooting out to balance herself before she jutted her jaw towards a rock he stepped around. "Haven't been there in a while, with the hatch and all…" she trailed.

"I'm sure everything's where we left it," Jack assured. "I'm sure there'd even be room for holdouts like you," he teased, watching her turn, her mouth opening and her top teeth brushing the smooth surface of her bottom lip as she worked her way into a grin.

"I didn't say I was coming," she told him, raising her left eyebrow at him.

Jack just nodded, watching her shake tension off her shoulders. The thought of it made her nervous, he knew, and he wondered, not for the first time, why it did that. Just the thought of it. She didn't have to commit to the caves. She didn't have to commit to him. Kate just had to lay her head down on the rocks where he could watch over her for a few hours a night.

To know, at least for that time, that she was safe.

"Stop that," Kate said suddenly, breaking him away from his thoughts.

Jack raised his head to look at her. "What?" he gestured with a shake of his head.

She walked towards him. "You're thinking about how great it would be if I just moved to the caves with you." She gave him a nod and waited.

"Well, it would be nice," he started.

"I think it would be nice if you moved to the beach," she interrupted.

"It's not really…" he trailed.

"Logical," she completed. "No, it's not, but it'd be nice."

"I'm just thinking about your safety." He paused, then added, "Everyone's safety."

Kate managed a shy smile before lifting a hand to dismiss the subject. Because that's all it took. She was done with it, so she waved him off and continued walking. Jack breathed a quick laugh, watching her turn to share it with him, slowing her pace to be next to him. Her bare arm bumped his and his knuckles brushed her wrist, his finger extending to trace the back of her palm before rubbing his fist into his palm, playing it off, but he watched the way her head ducked away.

She started talking again not long later, about the worst trees she'd climbed and the time she broke her finger and didn't tell her mother for hours because she knew she'd be in trouble. He laughed and explained how he wasn't allowed to climb trees and he watched a look of amusement pass across her face before she offered to teach him.

Jack laughed as they hopped across the small stream and headed towards the smell of the ocean. He looked around at the jungle, listened to the birds in the distance and the wind in the trees and the edges of his mouth turned upward slightly. It'd been so long since he'd just talked to someone. So long since he'd just been himself. He watched her make a face at him, mocking him as she began pointing out trees he couldn't climb. He knew, somewhere inside, that this was Kate. No lies or facades or secrets.

Maybe this was the place.

Finis


End file.
